FAMILIES of the victims sat quietly yesterday as the inquest into the Selby rail disaster heard harrowing details of how each of them died.

Ten men were killed on February 28, 2001, when the early morning GNER express from Newcastle to London hit a Land Rover and trailer driven by Gary Hart which came off the M62 near Great Heck and ended up on the line.

The derailed express then ploughed head-on into an on-coming freight train.

As the hearing went into its third day at Harrogate's Majestic Hotel yesterday, North Yorkshire deputy coroner David Hinchliffe warned the victims' families they may find some of the evidence traumatic.

The inquest was told the ten victims died from head, neck or multiple injuries. Precise details were omitted at the request of most of the families.

After hearing from pathologist Professor Christopher Milroy, Mr Hinchliffe allowed those relatives who wished to the chance to make short eulogies.

STEVE BALDWIN

The inquest was told Mr Baldwin, 44, who lectured in psychology at Teesside University, boarded the doomed express in his home city of York and was heading for London, where he was to address a conference.

Mr Baldwin's sister, Jane Wilson, described him as an inspiration to his students, who was also held in high regard by his colleagues.

She said: "Although he is no longer with us, he is still in our memories and still has the ability to make us smile."

BARRY NEEDHAM

The 40-year-old freight logistics co-ordinator, of New Earswick, near York, was only travelling to work in Doncaster to help out in a crisis and should have been on a day off.

Speaking at the hearing, Mr Needham's wife, Margitta, described her husband as "my best friend and soulmate''.

She said: "To die needlessly is unbearably cruel. He was in the prime of his life and we should have had many more days together."

ALAN ENSOR

The 44-year-old civil engineering project manager, of Dunnington, near York, who was married with two sons, also joined the GNER express at York en route to a business meeting.

PAUL TAYLOR

The 43-year-old chef, who was married with two children, was employed by GNER and was working in the buffet car when the two trains collided.

Still travelling at speed, the buffet carriage is believed to have made contact with the road bridge over the line, tearing off the roof.

JOHN WEDDLE

John Weddle was at the controls of the GNER express when it collided with the on-coming freight train, with a force described as twice that of the Concorde crash near Paris.

The inquest was told Mr Weddle, a 48-year-old single man from Newcastle, died of head injuries.

CLIVE VIDGEN

Clive Vidgen, a 39-year-old business manager who was single, was making his way to London for a meeting.

Leaving his home in Bishopthorpe, just outside York, he caught the train at the city's railway station.

CHRISTOPHER TERRY

The 30-year-old computer software trainer, who was married with a son, got a taxi from his home in York to the nearby railway station and had reserved Seat 37 in Coach F, from where he called home.

However, witnesses remembered seeing him make his way towards the buffet car.

* Others who died in the accident were 39-year-old freight train driver, Steve Dunn, of Brayton, near Selby, North Yorkshire, GNER conductor Raymond Robson, 44, of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, and 43-year-old Robert Shakespeare, of Beverley, East Yorkshire, who was travelling to a meeting in London.

* The hearing will resume today, and experts from Her Majesty's Rail Inspectorate are expected to give evidence.

The jury is expected to retire to consider a verdict tomorrow.